While fashion rules are always evolving, one thing remains the same: you should wear whatever makes you feel your best. That said, understanding which colours flatter your unique skin tone can help you choose bikinis, swimsuits, or beachwear that naturally enhance your glow and give you that sun-kissed look—even before you hit the beach.
Here’s a modern guide to help you determine your skin tone and choose swimwear shades that will bring out your natural beauty on holiday or by the pool.
How to Identify Your Skin Tone
Most skin tones fall into one of three main categories: warm, cool, or neutral. Here are three easy ways to determine which category you fall into:
1. The White Paper Test
Hold a piece of plain white paper under your chin in natural light (with no makeup). If your skin appears yellow or golden, you likely have a warm tone. If it appears pink, red, or bluish, your skin tone is cool.
2. The Vein Test
Look at the veins on the inside of your wrist:
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If they appear blue or purple, you're probably cool-toned.
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If they appear green or olive, you likely have a warm tone.
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If it's hard to tell, you may have a neutral tone.
3. The Jewellery Test
Think about whether gold or silver jewellery flatters you more:
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Gold tends to complement warm tones.
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Silver flatters cool tones.
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If both suit you equally, you're likely neutral.
Understanding Your Undertones
Even within light, medium, or deep skin shades, undertones matter. They guide how colours appear against your skin and how certain hues either brighten your appearance or wash you out.
Warm Undertones
These tend to have golden, peachy, or yellow hues. Hair often includes golden blonde, honey brown, or auburn shades. Eyes may be hazel, green, amber, or warm brown.
Cool Undertones
These lean more toward pink, red, or bluish tones. Hair may include platinum, ash brown, or black with cool highlights. Eyes tend to be blue, grey, or cool brown.
Neutral Undertones
Neutral skin tones are a mix of both warm and cool elements. You can often wear a broad range of colours, and your features don’t contrast sharply.
The Best Swimsuit Colours for Your Skin Tone
Once you've identified your skin tone, you can use this knowledge to choose swimwear that complements your natural features and enhances your glow.
For Warm Skin Tones
Earthy and golden hues will bring out the richness in your skin. Great choices include:
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Burnt orange
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Olive green
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Mustard yellow
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Coral
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Bronze
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Mango
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Mocha
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Tomato red
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Deep chocolate brown
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Warm turquoise or teal
These colours harmonise with your skin’s warmth and enhance its radiance under the sun.
For Cool Skin Tones
Jewel tones and icy shades will enhance your natural contrast and bring out your undertones. Try:
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Sapphire blue
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Emerald green
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Ruby red
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Plum
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Lavender
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Powder blue
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Icy pink
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Charcoal grey
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Cool-toned white
Avoid overly yellow-based colours, which can clash with cool undertones.
For Neutral Skin Tones
You’re in luck—most colours work for you. Consider combining warm and cool tones or choosing shades like:
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Soft peach
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Jade green
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Dusty rose
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Seafoam
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Taupe
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Bright true red
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Muted pastels
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Navy and blush combinations
You can also experiment with contrast—wear bold colours or colour-blocked swimwear to highlight your shape and features.
Seasonal Colour Analysis (Optional Layer)
Some people like to go a step further with seasonal colour theory, which divides skin tones into Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. While this system can be helpful, it’s not essential and is often debated in modern style advice. However, here's a simplified overview for those who want to explore it:
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Winter (Cool) – High contrast between skin, hair, and eyes. Best in black, white, navy, icy blues, ruby, and cool greys.
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Summer (Cool) – Softer contrast with muted features. Look great in rose, lavender, dusty blue, and pastels.
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Spring (Warm) – Warm, clear tones. Shine in peach, coral, turquoise, sunny yellow, and golden brown.
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Autumn (Warm) – Deep and rich. Ideal in burnt orange, olive, camel, forest green, and terracotta.
Using the Colour Wheel to Style Your Swimwear
The colour wheel is a handy tool for understanding how different colours relate to each other and how to create appealing combinations for swimwear—especially when mixing bikini tops and bottoms, or coordinating with beach accessories.
Key Colour Schemes:
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Analogous Colours: Neighbouring colours on the wheel (e.g. orange, red-orange, and red). These create soft, harmonious looks.
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Complementary Colours: Opposites on the wheel (e.g. blue and orange). These pairings offer bold contrast and visual interest.
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Split-Complementary Colours: A base colour plus two adjacent to its opposite (e.g. blue with yellow-orange and red-orange). This is more balanced than a direct complementary scheme.
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Triadic Colours: Three colours evenly spaced on the wheel (e.g. purple, green, and orange). These create vibrant, playful palettes.
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Monotone Chromatic: Variations of one hue, using different tints, tones, and shades. Ideal for sophisticated, minimalist swimwear looks.
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Monotone Achromatic: Neutrals only—black, white, grey, and metallics. Add a pop of colour with one standout accessory or bikini piece.
By understanding how colours interact, you can curate a beach wardrobe that flatters your skin tone and expresses your personal style—whether you love bold brights, classic neutrals, or modern mix-and-match sets.
Bonus Tips for Sun-Kissed Confidence
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Neon tones (like lime green or hot pink) look striking on deep and warm skin tones but can wash out paler cool-toned skin. Try them as accents or trims if you're unsure.
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Metallics: Gold tends to flatter warmer tones, while silver works beautifully on cooler skin.
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White swimwear can be tricky—true white works well for cool tones, while ivory or cream suits warm tones better.
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Printed swimsuits: Choose patterns with a base colour that complements your undertones, and let bold motifs do the talking.
Wear What Makes You Glow
Colour guidelines are helpful, but they’re not rules. If you feel amazing in a colour that isn’t “recommended” for your skin tone—wear it anyway. Confidence is always the best accessory.
While these tips can help guide you toward colours that naturally enhance your skin tone, the most important thing is that you feel empowered and radiant in your swimwear.
Looking for your next favourite suit? Now that you’ve got colour confidence, check out our guide on how to care for your swimwear so it lasts season after season.